The Flick of a Switch
by Aislinn Carter
Summary: Sheila and Holman from Kroner, Kansas decide to surprise the agents in D.C., but they are the ones who are surprised.


Title: The Flick of a Switch  
Author: Aislinn Carter  
Category: MSR  
Spoilers: The Rain King, Existence, The Truth.  
Summary: Sheila and Holman from Kroner, Kansas decide to surprise the agents in D.C., but they are the ones who are surprised.  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters except the ones I made up. Chris Carter and 1013 and all those people own them, and I am not making any money off of them nor do I have any money to be sued for. Mulder, Scully, Doggett, Sheila, Holman and William and whoever else I forgot belong to other people. I'm just borrowing for a little bit. Believe me, if I did own them, they'd be married with six kids and a dog instead of running from the law.  
Archiving: Sure, post it wherever, just let me know where.  
Feedback: Please please please give me feedback. I'd really like to know what people think. Bad or good, input is always welcome.

* * *

May 1, 2001

"So what do you think?"

"I have to admit, I'm a little overwhelmed," Sheila hefted the weight of her nine month old daughter from her right arm to her left, while squinting around her in confusion. "Kroner sure isn't like this."

Her husband smiled at her. "Well honey, even though we're small town folk, I'd like to think we can manage to catch a cab and make our way around D.C."

She looked around doubtfully, then glanced down at the sleeping infant. "I don't know, maybe we should have waited until she's a little older for this trip."

"Well Sheila, you're only three months along. Now is the perfect time. In six months we'll have two babies, and who knows when we'll be able to get away after that?" He wrapped his free arm around her and gave her a little squeeze. "Come on, aren't you excited about seeing the agents?"

"Are you sure we'll be able to get in? They don't even know we're coming."

"I told you, I spoke to one of their partners. He was more than happy to get us access to the building. In fact, he was insistent. It'll be a nice surprise. Then maybe we can take them to lunch, and after that we'll show Amelia some of our nation's history."

Sheila smiled. "Well, we're not going to get anywhere until we step foot out of the airport."

* * *

A simple phone call at the security gate gave them clearance; a young agent led them to a bank of elevators. Sheila frowned when she saw the agent press 'B'. 

"I'm sorry Agent Faulkner, but doesn't B stand for basement?"

Agent Faulkner smirked. "That's where the X-Files office is located."

"I'm not sure I entirely understand the concept of the X-Files. Agents Mulder and Scully never fully explained what division they were in, just that they investigated things of an unordinary nature." Holman offered.

Agent Faulkner nodded. "You could put it that way. The X-Files division was started by Agent Mulder, back in '91, I believe. Agent Scully was assigned to him a few years later. They're sort of infamous in the Hoover building. They've been shut down so many times, but I guess somebody somewhere wants to keep them open. Basically, they investigate paranormal phenomenon. But everybody knows that it's just Mulder's personal witch hunt to find aliens. I still don't understand how Scully is still there, or how they roped Doggett into working with them. Well, you'll see what I mean. How do you know them, anyway? From a case?"

"Yes," Holman said dryly. "I make the weather."

Faulkner raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I. Make. The. Weather." He stared at the younger man, who shifted uncomfortably. Luckily, the doors opened to the basement, and they piled out.

Faulkner led them down the hall, which was dark and dingy. There were storage bins lining the walls, and the whole place was damp and unwelcome. The Hardt's were surprised. Sheila couldn't imagine how two nice people like Agents Mulder and Scully had ended up down here.

The agent stopped in front of an open door and leaned in. "Mulder and Scully here?" he asked someone inside.

"No," came a gravelly voice. "But you know Mulder wouldn't be here, anyway."

"Yeah, right," Faulkner scoffed. "Like he would be able to keep away. There are visitors here for them. Security said they came in under your clearance." He motioned for the Hardt's to go in, and Sheila pushed the stroller after Holman.

They were openly surprised by the office. It was lit by harsh fluorescent lighting, and the walls were covered in newspaper articles. On a closer look, Holman could see that the articles mostly pertained to the paranormal. He hadn't realized what a zealot Agent Mulder was when he met him almost 2 years ago, but he was now getting the idea that the handsome agent might have a few screws loose.

A tall man with piercing blue eyes stood up to greet them. "You must be the Hardt's," He held out a hand to shake Homan's, then Sheila's. He peered into the stroller and smiled. "This is your baby?"

"This is Amelia," Sheila gazed with pride down at her sleeping daughter. "She's just about nine months old."

"Pretty. I'm Agent Doggett; we spoke on the phone. Agent Scully and Mr. Mulder should be here shortly. Agent Scully had a doctor's appointment."

"Is she okay?" Sheila asked, concerned.

"Oh, she's fine. Just a check up, and Mister Mulder offered to drive her."

"Mister Mulder?" Holman asked, frowning. "Is he no longer an agent?"

"No. The past year has been very difficult on both agents. But I'm sure they'll enjoy seeing you. I asked Agent Scully about your case once. I read all the files when I was first assigned to this office," he explained. "And she spoke very highly of you."

"You asked about our case?" Sheila asked.

"Sure. It was an unusual case." He cast a look at Holman, as if he were expecting him to make it snow right there in the office. "But you both must be tired. Came from Kansas, didn't you?"

"That's right. And we did have a long flight. We just checked into a hotel then came straight here. Would you mind terribly of my wife sat down? She's pregnant, and shouldn't be on her feet for two long."  
Doggett immediately pulled a chair over. "Of course, please sit down. Can I get you anything, Mrs. Hardt? A glass of water? We have some milk, too, if you'd like."

"Oh, no thank you, Agent Doggett, I'm fine. You'll have to excuse my husband, though. He's very over protective when I'm pregnant." She sat down and pulled the stroller closer to her. Amelia remained asleep.

Agent Doggett pulled two more chairs over, and offered one to Holman before sitting down in one himself. "When was the last time you spoke to Mulder or Scully?"

"Well, we sent them an invitation to our wedding. We were married two months after we met them. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make it. But they did send us a card and a gift, which we thought was awfully sweet of them." Sheila beamed. "I got pregnant pretty much right away, and when Amelia was born, we sent them her birth announcement, but we never head anything back. Then Homan was assigned to a meteorological conference here in D.C., and he decided to bring Amelia and I along, and maybe visit the agents. It's so kind of you to help us. I'm glad we're going to surprise them, but I just wondered why they never wrote back."

"Well, if your daughter was born nine months ago, I can understand why they never got back to you. Mulder disappeared around that time, and Agent Scully, well, she had her hands full. And a lot on her mind."

"Oh no!" Sheila lifted a hand to her lips. "Was he okay?"

"That…that is a long story." Doggett turned his head to the door as they heard heels clicking down the hall and murmured voices.

The three of them stood up, and Holman noticed that Doggett wore a faint smirk. Mentally shrugging, he turned with the rest of them to the door. He wondered if the two agents had changed over the past two years. He had been so grateful to them for helping him win Sheila.

Sheila also wondered if the agents would have changed at all, but more than that, she wondered if anything had changed with their relationship. Holman had been right; they did gaze at each other. And when she remembered them, Sheila knew she had never met two people more in sync with each other. She wondered if Agent Scully had taken her own advice.

_"Well, it seems to me that the best relationships — the ones that last — are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with"._

Sheila smiled at the memory. Agent Scully had been right. She only hoped the other woman had figured that out for herself.

"I'm telling you Scully, it's a plot. They know exactly who I am, they're just trying to keep me out of the building."

"Mulder, you know policy. You have to have a valid form of identification to enter the Hoover Building. You need to stop seeing conspiracies everywhere-" Scully stopped short as the entered the office, taking in the scene before her. Both agents' eyes widened.

They weren't the only ones in shock. The first thing Sheila took notice of was the possessive, tender way Mulder hovered over Agent Scully, much more so than he ahd when they met last. But that observation was swept away with her next observation: Agent Scully had either swallowed a beach ball, or she was very, very pregnant.

"Holman," Mulder grinned and stepped forward to shake the other man's hand. "How are you? It's great to see you!"

Holman grinned as well and shook Mulder's hand enthusiastically. "I'm doing well, Agent Mulder."

"Just Mulder. I'm not an agent here anymore." Mulder turned to Sheila and gave her a small hug. "You look lovely, Sheila,"

"Thank you," she blushed, then focused her attention on Scully. "Agent Scully, how are you? How are you feeling?"

Scully came forward into the room and greeted them each with a small hug. "I'm fine, really. Some slight braxton-hicks, but that's to be expected. I'm due in three weeks, and my maternity leave starts in a few days."

Doggett stood up and cleared his throat. "Dana, I'm going to go talk to that witness we've been meaning to speak with. Can you hold down the fort?"

"Of course. Did you know about this?"

"I did. I thought it would be nice for you two to see a positive outcome for one of your cases." He turned to the Hardt's. "It was nice to meet you both. Enjoy your stay in D.C." He nodded at Mulder. "Mulder." He said shortly, then turned and walked out of the office.

"So, you're having a baby," Holman said. "Well, that's just great. We couldn't be happier for you."

Scully smiled. "Well, it looks like you already have a baby," she leaned down over Ameilia's stroller. "Oh, she's beautiful. What's her name?"

"Amelia Grace."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Here, Scully, why don't you sit down." Mulder helped her over to the chair Doggett had vacated, and he perched on the desk next to her. "So what brings you two to Washington?"

"The meterological convention over at the Smithsonian," Holman answered. "We're here for two days."

"So when did the two of you get married?" Sheila blurted out.

"Sheila!" Holman hissed. Scully and Mulder both shifted uncomfortably.

"It's okay, Holman," Mudler forced a smile. "We're not married."

Sheila's heart sank. "Oh." She frowned. "It's nice of you to bring Agent Scully to the doctor. That's where you were, right? I think that's what Agent Doggett said. I guess your husband is working?"

Scully's lips thinned. "I'm not married, Sheila."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed…" she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, there I go putting my foot in my mouth. I'm just very interested in…well, frankly, I assumed the two of you would end up together."

The couple looked at each other, seeming to communicate somehthing with their eyes. "Well…." Scully took a deep breath. "No one really knows for sure who the father of my baby is. It's no one's business, although God knows there's a huge office pool on the matter. And the going bet is that this baby is Mulder's."

"Would they be right?" Sheila asked quietly.

"Sheila!" Holman flashed an apologetic smile at Mulder and Scully. "I'm sorry, I know this is terribly rude of us to just barge in here and ask about your personal life."

"It's all right." Scully smiled. "Sheila, do you remember what I told you? About that switch being flicked?"

"Yes."

"Let's just say, that switch turned on."

Sheila's eyes lit up. "So you're saying…"

Mulder took one of Scully's hands in his. "We're not saying anything. But don't be surprised when we send you a picture if this baby has a huge honker like it's dad."

"Mulder," Scully chided. "Don't be silly." She rolled her eyes at the Hardt's. 'He's having a great time with all this, making jokes about the baby's parentage. Nobody knows for fact that it's Mulder's, so whenever anyone asks him, he just shrugs and says that the Chinese take out guy is pretty good looking. I swear, he's tarnishing my reputation here."

"Oh she just loves it, don't listen to her. It's become somehting of a running joke with us, although if I do it when we're alone she tends to ignore me. At least in public I get the sparks shooting out of her eyes. That's at least worth something".

"I'm glad you two are able to joke together this late in the pregnancy," Holman said, with a cautious glance at Sheila.

Scully smiled sadly and looked at Mulder. "Well, there was a time I thought I'd never be able to joke with him again…But that's in the past. This is our miracle baby, you might say. That alone is enough to keep my sense of humor intact."

"Such as it is," Mulder said dryly.

* * *

Mulder and Scully took Sheila, Holman and Amelia to lunch. Amelia woke up in the middle of the meal, and Scully was delighted to be able to balance her against her monstrous baby bump. Amelia took to Mulder and Scully: she wrapped her tiny little hands around Scully's belly, and she shreiked with baby-laughter when Mulder leaned in too close and she grabbed his nose. And she was a beautiful baby, with curly light brown hair and big blue eyes. The other couple were absolutely enchanted with her.

They ended their lunch in a flurry of hugs and promises to write. The reunion had been good for everyone, and Dogget had been right in thinking it would be beneficial for Scully to see a positive outcome of one of their cases, after having seen so much negative in the last year or so.

* * *

It was two months later when Sheila opened the mail to find a letter with a D.C. return address. She opened it excitedly and hobbled into the house to show Holman. She was a lot bigger this time around, so she really had to hobble to get anywhere nowadays.

Holman was in the kitchen feeding Amelia, making funny faces as she giggled with delight. He looked up as his wife came in.

"Look, Holman, it's a letter from Agent Scully!"

"What does it say?"

"'Dear Sheila and Holman…Thank you so much for the little stuffed elephant you sent after your visit. When my son was born in May, it was one of the first things I placed in his crib. And yes, I had a son. His name is William, and he is the light of my life, just as I always knew he would be. I have enclosed a picture of him. Unfortunately, his father is not around to see him grow, and he has grown so much since he was born. His father had to leave on an assignment, and I don't know when – or if – he'll be returning, but I pray it will be soon. We both enjoyed our visit with you so much. It was such a hard year for us, and it looks like it will be harder still. Seeing you both so happy really made us happy. And your daughter is so beautiful. I wish you luck with her, and the next baby, and any other baby, for that matter. Please keep in touch, and I will try to do the same. Sincerely, Dana Scully.' Oh, and look at him, Holman! Isn't he a dear!" Sheila thrust the photograph under Holman's nose.

Holman studied the red haired, blue eyes little boy. "Well, one thing's for sure…" He said with a smile. "He sure didn't get his old man's Honker."

"Oh look, here's a little something she wrote at the bottom. 'Sheila, I can never forget what I told you. I wonder that I might have you and Holman to thank. If I hadn't had to tell you my little words of wisdom, I might not have found it necessary to examine my own similar situation. I saw what a wonderful match you and Holman made together, two best friends, just like us. And I saw what we might be. And even though it took me a little more time, I was able to firmly grasp that switch and turn it on. And I never regretted it. The best relationships, the greatest loves, are indeed the ones that are rooted in friendship. Never forget that, because I know I won't'".

* * *

Sheila tried to stay in touch, and she was sure Agent Scully did too, but such things always fall to the wayside when you have a family to worry about. It was months later before she even thought about Agent Scully and Mulder, and she did wonder if Agent Mulder had ever come home, and what sort of assignment he could be on if he was no longer in the F.B.I. But the thought soon slipped her mind, as she was very busy and didn't really have time to find out.

She was laying in bed one day, about a year after they had last seen Mulder and Scully, when Holman entered the room with a disturbed look on his face. She was nursing Brianne; Keith was asleep in the crib. Amelia was coloring on the floor. She loved this, being surrounded by her children. She and Holman had decided not to have any more after their second baby had turned out to be two. After all they were both over forty. Not much over, but over enough to know enough that their family was perfect.

"Sheila, I don't guess you've seen the paper today?"

"Which one?" she asked destractedly, smiling down at Brianne.

"The Post that I picked up at work this morning. The Washington Post."

"Oh honey, you know I never look at that."

"Well, maybe you'd like to."

She frowned and looked up at him. "Why Holman, what is the matter? Is there something bad I should know about?"

Holman reached out to take Brianne from her, which was fine since Brianne was finished. He handed Sheila the paper and held his daughter securely against him.

Sheila gasped at the front page headline. "'F.B.I. Agent breaks out Murderer?' Oh, Holman, this can't be right!"

"Whether it's right or not, it's what's in the paper".

Sheila stared at the grainy pictured on the cover of the paper. Mulder and Scully, on the run? How was that possible? She quickly flipped to the article and read it, and when she was finished, she set the paper down and frowned. "They don't mention the baby,"

"I think the baby is the least of it right now, Sheila. They're saying Agent Mulder murdered a man in the military, and that Agent Scully broke him out of prison after he was sentenced to death."

"I know that, Holman, I just read it. But you know that can't be true."

"How do I know? We really didn't know them, Sheila."

"We knew them anough to know they couldn't do this!"

"All right, all right. I admit, they seemed like decent folks. It really is a shame."

Sheila handed him back the paper. "Please put Brianne in with Keith. Ameila, honey, go with Daddy. Mommy's going to take a nap."

"Are you all right?" Holman asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, just a little upset. They were such nice people."

Holman nodded. He placed the baby in the basinett, then helped Amelia pick up her crayons and lead her out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Sheila burrowed down under the covers and turned to the window. The sun was just starting to set, draping the plains in soft paints of purple and pink. Sheila's heart broke for the agents on the run this night, out there who-knew-where, probably without their baby boy, being chased. She really did have a soft spot for the agents; after all, it was because of them that she had her perfect little family.

Sheila said a silent prayer for Mulder and Scully. She knew they were innocent, and she knew just as well that they were together somewhere, working together to move on and run from injustice. She was safe here, in her little home with her little family, in a simpler world than the agents came from. She could only wish the same for them. But she knew that together, with their love, they would have a chance.

"Keep that switch turned on, Agent Scully," she whispered. "Keep a firm hold, and let that light shine."


End file.
